Before Braveheart, the real fight for Scotland was even bloodier.
Historian Michael Brown (University of St. Andrews) joins Why Wars Happened to uncover the shocking truth about the Wars of Independence — Wallace, Robert the Bruce, brutal battles, plagues, and the birth of the Stewart dynasty. This isn’t just legend — it’s the story of freedom, identity, and survival.
⏱ Timestamps
00:00 – Welcome to Why Wars Happened
00:48 – Meet Michael Brown
01:20 – Scotland in the 13th century
02:02 – Language & identity shifts
03:35 – Population & clans
07:22 – Lords & nobles in Scotland
11:34 – Anglo-Scottish conflicts
14:10 – Challenges of research
16:51 – Debates in Scottish history
19:21 – Internal change in the 13th–14th c.
23:06 – Agriculture, plague & colonization
25:08 – Warfare & population shifts
26:38 – Robert the Bruce’s tactics
28:03 – “What if” scenarios
32:37 – The rise of the Stewarts
34:59 – Misconceptions about Scotland
38:17 – Conclusion
#ScottishHistory #WilliamWallace #RobertTheBruce #Scotland #MedievalHistory #WhyWarsHappened
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist
It’s 1996 in rural North Carolina, and an oddball crew makes history when they pull off America’s third largest cash heist. But it’s all downhill from there. Join host Johnny Knoxville as he unspools a wild and woolly tale about a group of regular ‘ol folks who risked it all for a chance at a better life. CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist answers the question: what would you do with 17.3 million dollars? The answer includes diamond rings, mansions, velvet Elvis paintings, plus a run for the border, murder-for-hire-plots, and FBI busts.